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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25510963">Is it a bad time to tell you I love you?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Current_Queen_Of_Hell/pseuds/Current_Queen_Of_Hell'>Current_Queen_Of_Hell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Coming of Age, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Growing Up, Growing Up Together, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Nico di Angelo &amp; Leo Valdez Friendship, Open Ending, POV Nico di Angelo, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:41:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25510963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Current_Queen_Of_Hell/pseuds/Current_Queen_Of_Hell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Come back soon, yeah?” Nico whispers, because 'I’ll miss you' and 'Goodbye' just don't feel right.</p><p>“I’ll always come back to you.” Leo steps a little closer and Nico can’t figure out what he’s thinking.</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>“I promise.” Leo tells him, “Cross my heart and hope to die.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Leo Valdez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Is it a bad time to tell you I love you?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Not Beta'd as usual</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Come on, come on!” Leo yells frantically pushing Nico out of the bathroom stall. Nico can hear Chiron coming down the hall to find them. The sound of his calls for them to stop fooling around fills the halls and Leo’s grin only widens.</p><p>“Be quiet he’s gonna catch us!” Nico grits out, though he can’t stop the smile spreading over his face either.</p><p>He lets Leo usher him out of the bathroom and around the corner. The moment they step foot into the arts wing of the school they break out into a sprint. Nico turns his head every few seconds to make sure Leo is still behind him. If Leo ends up in detention the rest of the day will be awfully boring. Nico cannot let that happen. He will not survive this week if his partner in crime is stuck in detention. More importantly, he cannot let Leo go through detention with Mr. D, he’ll be traumatized afterward.</p><p>He looks behind him to find Leo stumbling over his feet and slowing down. Stupid fucking nerd can’t run fast enough. Nico rolls his eyes and stops running for a split second to grab Leo’s hand and continue dragging him down the hall to their dorms.</p><p>Nico kicks open the door to the dorm he shares with Will. He drags Leo into the room and locks the door behind him. The moment Leo hits Nico’s bed he collapses into a fit of laughter. Nico has to physically slap his hand over Leo’s mouth to stop him.</p><p>“Shut the fuck up, he’ll hear you!”</p><p>Leo snorts and mumbles something unintelligible into Nico’s hand. When Nico only raises his eyebrow and keeps his hand where it is, Leo licks it. Nico rips his hand away instantly.</p><p>“Oi, what the fuck?”</p><p>“You wouldn’t let me talk you little shit.”</p><p>“You were being loud!”</p><p>“Chiron’s not gonna hear us.” Leo tells him, already leaning back on Nico’s bed, “He’s probably given up already. He always does.”</p><p>“Last time you said that he caught us smoking behind the bleachers.”</p><p>Leo shrugs, “The exception proves the rule.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s what Mr. Blofis meant when he said that.”</p><p>Leo waves his hand in the air and pulls out a pack of cigarettes form under Nico’s bed. If Will ever finds out that Nico keeps them there, he’d be dead. Probably even more than if a teacher found them. Leo’s the only one who knows he keeps them there.</p><p>Leo gestures for Nico to hand over the lighter he always has in his pocket. Nico leans forward and lights Leo’s cigarette for him instead. It’s easier he tells himself. He doesn’t want to think about the fact that he just likes being close to Leo.</p><p>“They’re putting more seventh graders into the play this year.” Leo tells him after a little while.</p><p>“You’ll get the lead though, right?”</p><p>“Probably, yeah.”</p><p>“Mr. D is taking over the theatre department as of this year?”</p><p>Leo nods, “Yeah, but I still wanna be in the show. I’m in it every year. Just because Mr. D thinks he can bitch about everything doesn’t mean I’ll let it stop me.”</p><p>“If only you were that interested in your classes.”</p><p>“Shut up. You’re not interested in anything.” Leo snarks.</p><p><em>I’m interested in you</em>; Nico wants to say. He doesn’t. “At least I look cool.”</p><p>Leo rolls his eyes and lets out a loud laugh.</p><p>“You should audition as well. You’d be good.”</p><p>Nico nearly laughs out loud, “Absolutely not. I have a reputation to uphold.”</p><p>“Right, I forgot you have to skip class in favor of smoking and skating. I forgot you have that bad boy thing going.”</p><p>“How dare you, I’m more than just that.” Nico jokes.</p><p>Leo grins at him but doesn’t say anything more. They lay like that for hours. Leo on Nico’s bed spread out with a halo of brown hair around him and the sun making his skin glow. Nico on the floor, staring up at the ceiling where he put up stars with Leo during Nico’s seventh year. They lay like this a lot. When Leo is tired from talking all day and just needs a break or when Nico feels like he’s about to fall apart. They lay together and talk. About nothing and everything.</p><p>Leo tells Nico about a university almost seven hours away where he wants to study. Nico listens and when Leo asks Nico what he wants to do after school, Nico just shrugs and tells him ‘stuff’. Leo doesn’t prod but also doesn’t stop asking. He encourages Nico to try new things and shows him all the things he’s interested in. Nico doesn’t have the heart to tell Leo that the only reason he doesn’t know what to do after school finishes, is because he’ll have to do it without Leo.</p><hr/><p>Leo’s two years above him. It’s not a lot. It never felt like a lot. Not when they met in primary school and Bianca introduced Nico to her new best friend, Leo. Not when Leo asked Nico to come to his first play, not when Leo promised not to forget about Nico when he started boarding school in seventh grade and not when Nico finally came to secondary school as well.</p><p>But now they feel painfully far apart. Leo is two whole years older. Two years that feel like the world now. He’ll graduate this year and go to Uni without Nico. He’ll move and Nico is afraid he’ll never see Leo again. The fear is stupid, and Leo keeps telling him he won’t forget about Nico, but deep-down Nico knows it’s not far off. Graduation is only a year away. They’ve spent every waking day of their life together, be it during the school year or on break when Leo would come stay with Nico’s mum and Bianca so that Esperanza can take extra shifts over the holidays sometimes.</p><hr/><p>They spend more time in the drama club that year than ever before. Nico comes to as many rehearsals as possible and helps Leo practice his lines, but it’s not enough. He wants to see Leo every day for the rest of his life. Which he knows is unrealistic, but he can’t help but wish.</p><p>They hang out at the diner down the road together and Nico tries to convince himself that it’ll be alright. That Leo won’t forget about him. It doesn’t work.</p><hr/><p>Leo gets prettier over winter break. He comes back looking soft around the edges, a small smile and crinkles around his eyes when he laughs. His hair is a little longer than it was before and he reminds Nico of an angel.</p><hr/><p>He spends the weeks after winter break, dating and sleeping around. It’s nothing new. He’s always been doing it but it’s different this year. This year is Nico’s last year with Leo. It’s hard to keep the frustration to himself, Nico thinks. Because Leo belongs to him, right? He always has. They’d been inseparable as kids and Leo doesn’t need anyone else, he has Nico. He doesn’t need any other attention when he’s got Nico, right?</p><p>Leo goes around and kisses, touches and smiles at anything that moves. Nico hates it. He doesn’t say anything though, as long as Leo always comes back.</p><p>And he does. He comes to Nico’s dorm when he knows Will won’t be there and he lays next to Nico and tells him about his day, reeking of other people. It’s something rather than nothing, Nico tells himself.</p><hr/><p>Leo starts dating a boy from his year a week before Easter break. The boy’s called Lityerses and he’s in Leo’s PE class. They get along well enough. Nico doesn’t like him.</p><hr/><p>Leo spent Easter break with Lityerses and comes back smaller and tired. He still laughs and giggles but it’s not the same. Nico doesn’t ask, doesn’t think he’s allowed to. The two of them don’t greet each other in the halls anymore and Nico suspects Leo and Lityerses broke up during break.</p><hr/><p>The year is almost over and end of the year exams are drawing nearer and nearer. Nico tries not to think about it. But how could he not, when Leo is right in front of him.</p><p>“How do you not get this?” Leo asks him one day, “I did that like three years ago.”</p><p>Nico snorts and lets himself fall backward on the bed to stare at the ceiling, “Not my fault I’m not old.”</p><p>Leo gasps and playfully shoves at Nico, his books slipping from his lap. Nico fights back and soon enough they’re play wrestling again. It feels like Leo barely puts up a struggle. He rarely does anymore. After only a few second Nico has Leo pinned underneath him, a vicious grin on his face. Leo is giggling and laughing thrashing like he’s being tickled. Nico sits himself down on Leo’s stomach to keep him from moving.</p><p>“My mum says…” Leo starts then lets out a small chuckle, “Well she says a lot of things, but she says I should find someone. Before Uni I mean. She says it’ll be good for me to not be alone all the time.”</p><p>“But you can’t leave me.” It childishly escapes Nico. He can’t stop the words from falling from his lips. He waits for a sign that Leo is uncomfortable. The only thing he gets is a small nod and an airy laugh.</p><p>“I won’t.”</p><hr/><p>The days get longer and the time until graduation shorter. They spend their days sitting out in the field behind the school basking in the sunlight.</p><p>Leo rolls on his back, grass sticking to his shirt.</p><p>“It’s so fucking hot. Not even the clouds want to come out, man.” He croaks out.</p><p>“You’re talking shit again.” Nico tells him and leans further into his knees to try and shield his eyes.</p><p>Leo only hums and sits up a bit to look at Nico directly,</p><p>“You’ll come to my ceremony, though, right? I got you a ticket.”<br/>Nico only shrugs, which must be the wrong answer because Leo falters and falls back on the grass, a tired expression on his face.</p><p>“Yeah, of course.” Nico says quietly. A desperate attempt to salvage the situation. Leo smiles at him.</p><hr/><p>It’s hot. It’s always hot. Nico’s sitting next to Esperanza in the stands, watching Leo slip from his life. He’s standing on the stage a bright grin on his face as he accepts his diploma. The year has gone by faster than Nico cares to admit. If it were up to him, there’d be at least another year for them to be together.</p><p>Nico’s thought about it. Thought about telling Leo how he feels, begging him to stay.</p><p>Leo nearly runs down the stage the moment he’s allowed to. He comes to a stop in front of Nico, a surprised look on his face.</p><p>“You actually came,” He whispers, “I was so sure you wouldn’t come.”</p><p>“Of course, I came. It’s you.”</p><p>Nico’s breath catches when Leo pulls him into a bone crushing hug. He’s sweating and the graduation robe is sticking to Leo’s skin, but Nico loves it. They’ve hugged before, of course they have it’s Leo. But this is different. This is about as close as Nico will ever get to telling Leo how he feels.</p><p>Nico wants to take it further. To grab Leo by his shoulders and press his lips against Leo’s, to hold him tight and never let him go. To mark him and show the world that he’s playing for keeps. He doesn’t.</p><p>He lets go of the hug and smiles at Leo, congratulating him on his diploma.</p><hr/><p>Nico watches as Leo’s dorm room gets emptier and emptier. His things get packed away neatly in big brown boxes and shoved into a car to drive to Uni. Soon enough only the bed and dresser are left.</p><hr/><p>Jason helps heave the last brown box into the small trunk of Leo’s car and then bids them goodbye. He wishes Leo good luck and tells him to stay in touch. Then it’s only the two of them.</p><p>There’d been a goodbye dinner at Leo’s mum’s house the day before Leo was to leave. Nico had glared at his food the entire time. Eventually everyone had left but Nico had stayed. He’d gone upstairs with Leo and the two had fallen asleep on Leo’s childhood bed. Nico hadn’t been able to sleep at all.</p><p>Leo stands in front of Nico expectantly. He’s shorter now. Nico had had a growth spurt in the last few weeks, now towering over Leo. It feels right.</p><p>“Come back soon, yeah?” Nico whispers, because <em>I’ll miss you</em> and <em>Goodbye</em> just don’t feel right.</p><p>“I’ll always come back to you.” Leo steps a little closer and Nico can’t figure out what he’s thinking.</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>“I promise.” Leo tells him, “Cross my heart and hope to die.” He waves his hand in front of his chest and points it to the sky.</p><p>“I believe you.” Nico whispers. Leo’s standing close enough to touch now. He doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t have to.</p><p>“This is it, yeah?” He says only a hair’s width apart. Nico wants to reach out and touch him. But this is Leo’s game. Not his. He doesn’t know the rules yet.</p><p>“Yeah. It is.”</p><p>“You’ll hurry up and visit me, right?”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>“See you soon then.”</p><p>“See you soon.” Nico echoes, unable to form words.</p><p>Leo smiles gently and nods. Then Nico’s world tilts and he feels like he’s on top of the world. Leo leans in and presses the gentlest kiss on Nico’s lips he’s ever experienced. It’s soft and sweet and it’s not exactly how Nico imagined it would happen, but he thinks this is better than anything he ever thought up. It’s over as soon as it began, and the moment Leo pulls away Nico’s already in withdrawal. He wants to pull him back in and never stop. He doesn’t.</p><p>He watches the car turn the curb, the wet grass under his feet almost forgotten now. He goes home feeling empty and tired and like he doesn’t know who he is. Not without Leo. Not alone.</p><p>He gets a text from Leo a minute later.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll keep the door open for you x.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Nico goes back to school without Leo. Everyone can tell. But it’s not as bad as Nico expected it to be. He sends a text to Leo every day and he knows Leo won’t come visit reeking of others. He’ll come home and he’ll leave again with one of Nico’s sweaters and an abundance of bracelets on his wrist that once belonged to Nico.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading this, it was just a quick blurb lmao</p><p>tell me what you think!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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